Merry Christmas to one and all

Just a few more hours and it's Christmas day, I hope you and your families have festive holiday and have a wonderful new year.

Card Recipe
Stamps: MFT Bear (unknown sentiment)
Paper: Coated Card, 110lb white, Red
Ink: Ranger archival
Accessories: MFT die, word bubble die, SU Embossing folder
Techniques: Saran wrap background, Die Cut

CAS Watercolour Mid month reminder

With only a week and a half to Christmas I'm trying to get my final  Christmas cards stamped and coloured. CAS Watercolour challenge December Anything Goes is great incentive for me.
Hideko is our guest designer for November, check out her amazing cards at Papercraft Boutique and head over to the other CAS Watercolour DT blogs for some wonderful inspiration.

I used the Daniel Smith Watercolour grounds again before colouring with Distress watercolours.  You cans see below in the first card I used the Pearlescent white.  This gave the blue and purple distress watercolours this wonderful cool tone.

For my second card I used the Gold which gave a much warmer background for the distress inks.

The stamp set was a gift from a sweet friend.  I finished both cards with a simple Christmas sentiment from Serendipity

Card Recipe
Stamps: Serendipity Sentiment, Ali express image
Paper: Watercolour, 110lb white
Ink: Ranger Archival black
Accessories: Daniel Smith Watercolour grounds (gold and pearlescent white)
Techniques: Watercolouring

Playing with Distress Oxide inks on Glossy Photo paper

Distress Oxide inks on Glossy Photo paper

Back in September while playing with some crafty friends I took along some glossy photo paper.  Now I should tell you I've had this paper since about 2002, it actually said manufactured in 2001.   I think we got a new printer and thought we would print out own pictures, little did we know the cost of the coloured ink for the ink jet printer would be ridiculously expensive so the paper got filed away.  I'm so glad I found it.

You can see the glossy surface 

I inked my craft mat with Distress Oxide ink, spritzed it with water and then picked up the in ink on the photo paper, I heat set it after each layer, I wasn't impressed as the colours looked very chalky and rubbed off when I touched them.  After our crafting session I just dropped it in my bag and forgot about it.
Well a few weeks later I stumbled across this video on You Tube and realised I just missed one important step, I just need to wipe the surface with a baby wipe. What a transformation.
You can see in the photo below the area which is bright has been wiped the dull matte coloured portion hasn't.

I did a few samples with different coloured Distress Oxide Inks

I'm entering this for the following challenge
CAS Watercolour

Card Recipe
Stamps: Vissible Image
Paper: 110lb white, Glossy photo paper
Ink: Ranger archival
Accessories: Distress Oxide inks, Zigs Watercolour pens, baby wipes
Techniques: Distress oxide on glossy photo paper

CAS Watercolour December Challenge Anything Goes

It's time for a new challenge for CAS Watercolour and for December it's Anything Goes. 

Our Guest Designer for this month is Hideko of Paper Craft Boutique, please head over and say hi and  check out all her wonderful creations along with the rest of the CAS Watercolour design team.

Being way behind on my Christmas cards I thought I would stick with the Christmas theme for this months.

This sweet little pup is from a Hero arts set with a kitten and a puppy.  I used some Daniel Smith Gold grounds on watercolour paper, then stamped the image and coloured with zigs.  The gold grounds give such a warm glow under the zig watercolouring.  I used a white gel pen to colour in toe, heel and cuff of the stocking.

This is a close up of the partially watercoloured image. I'm still playing around with the grounds, I also have the pearlescent white grounds so you may see more in the future.

Thanks for your comments, I love hearing from you and I'm happy to answer any questions you have.

Card Recipe
Stamps: Hero arts Fluffy stockings stamp and die
Paper: Watercolour paper, Cream 110 lb card stock
Ink:  blackRanger archival, Delicata gold
Accessories: Daniel Smith Gold Grounds, Zig Watercolouring Wens
Techniques: Watercolour